Discount v's Free Sides?

[Ali_Lynx]

Evening everyone hope the summer is treating you well.

I was wondering if I can get your input on my predicament.

Assuming I have an ‘average’ demographic mix with a medium to high income bracket. What would you offer as a pick up deal a discount on pizza price or x-amount worth of free sides. Both have advantages first being the obvious low spend not-enough-money student, second moves shop product and gives assumed value.

I know its a difficult one as both deals appeal to a set type of clientel but I am not looking to go down the discounting route just want to increase my early week mon-thu order numbers, without affecting my regulars.

thanks in advance

 

[bodegahwy]

I think that a free “side” has a perceived value higher than the cost… but: it has to be a side the customer is interested in or it does not work.

All in all, I would rather keep the ticket value up. We do this kind of thing a lot. We have a signature giveaway item that costs us about $2.50 with a perceived value of $5.00 and involves no prep or labor whatsoever. it works VERY well.

 

[GT1]

good question… honestly, over the years for us it has been different answers. we have done both in rotation ( discounts for a while then freebies for a while then back ) many times. the answer changes. what worked one year didn’t guarantee success of the promotion the next time. and what was a dog the first time works out well the next time.

most recently we were doing combo pizzas, 2 for one price, multi topping pizzas, and pizzas with sides, and they worked very well. we switched and started doing free sodas, bstix, salads. on coupons and got very little response when they had worked well in the past.

moral of the story… just do something, it will all work in the end.

 

[wa_dave]

Ali Lynx

We are in a similar demographic to you with medium to high income.

Our menu is premium price with deals for “menu” pizzas, the main one 2 Large (13") for $23.90. It is about a 15% discount on buyig the 2 at full price. This is by far our best seller with the majority of orders being 2 Large. The deal excludes our “Works” and the gourmet ranges. They pay extra for these due to the cost of toppings. We also offer a garlic bread or a 1.25lt drink at half price on these deals but will be dropping these on our new menu.

We find the multi buy deals work well as they encourage people to order more. Often they come in and go to buy one and then see it’s not much more to buy two so we end up with a bigger ticket price. Granted the % return is less but the $ sale is higher.

Other options you can do is give away a free garlic bread (low cost) or a 1.25lt drink (restrict to a low cost brand) with a certain purchase value.

As J_r0kk reminds everyone all the time FREE is the best lure. Offer something for FREE and you will get them in. You can go with that and then add something else similar to what we do later on.

You have to do something promotional to get the extra sales. The % may not be as big as what you have now but as you grow the sales the $ will increase. You will bank more $. You can’t bank %.

Dave